Apparatus for mining sulfur.



J. W. PETERS.

APPARATUS FOR MINING SULFUR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-25. 1918.

1,293,902. Patented Feb.'1 1, 1919.

' Water at different JOHN w. rnrnns, or ROSLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS ron MINING surrna.

Application filed September 2 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN PETERS, a residing at Roslyn, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have discovered certain new 1 and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Mining Sulfur,

of whichthe following is a disclosure. 1

My invention-relates to the art of mining sulfur.

It has been the custom heretofore to sink wells in sulfur deposits for the purpose'of melting the sulfur underground and elevating it to' the surface in a molten condition. In the Operation of such'wells, it has been found desirable to melt the sulfur by hot water and to be able to deliver such levels in the sulfur deposit. These circumstances have led to the adoption of anexpensive, well structure comprising a number of concentric pipes to or'within the cap rock ,the "hot water to within a liner-or casing, certain of the p pes being of different lengths so as to'deliver different "depth Moreover, the quantity of hot water which can .be deliveredwithin a casing of given size is reduced -'to an inconvenient degree by the space taken up by two pipes.

It is accordingly the principal object of my invention to provlde a well structure capable of use in mining sulfur by the hot water process which shall be of relatively simple and inexpensive construction, but which shall be convenient-in operation and embody means whereby the heating fluid is delivered at different levels.

A second object ofmy invention is to provide means whereby the level at which the heating fluid is delivered may be changed at Will.- v

A further object of'the invention resides in the particular arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter described.

In the drawing accompanying and form ing part ofthis specification, the figure is adiagrammatic sectional view of a portion of the earths crust and sulfurwell therein to my invention.

ing 1 is a bed of soil overlying a cap rock 3 which is a sulfur deposit such as Extending from the surface of the ground 2 is a casing whic may be such as is generally employed, As is well known, the met od used for sinking- I Specification of Letters Patent.

shown at 11. The

Patented Feb 11, 1919. 5,1918. Serial 110,255,552. I

the well is ordinarilychanged after reaching the cap rock. Consequently, it 1s usually necessary to makethe casing in sect1on 1f 1t 1s extended below the 'cap rock,

and. I preferably extend the casing belowthe deposit 3 by means of a I rock 2 and into pipe suchas 4 the upper end of which preferably has an outwardly extending flange thereon making a sliding fit with the interior of part 4:.

and I provide a series ofports such as 6, 7 and 8, arranged in sets at different levels 1n the pipe or casing 4: through which the Hot water may be in-- troduced into the casing 4 through pipe 5,

water may pass into the sulfur deposit 3.

The lower end of the part 4 serves as a receiver for the molten sulfur and is perforated as shown at 9, to permit the sulfur to flow into it. The molten sulfurmay then be elevated to the surface through the central pipe 10 by means of a pump or other convenient mechanism. The discharge pipe for the sulfur connects with pipe 10 and is lower end of pipe 10 is perforated to permit entrance of sulfur as shown at 12.

In order to cut ofi the interior of the easing from the deposit when desired, I provide cylindrical valve members, such as'13, which are suitably supported from the central pipe l0,"and which are arranged to slide on theinner face of member 4 and close the ports 6, 7 and tive positions. The valve members 13 are sup-ported from the pipe '10 by suitable means, such as brackets. In order to permit the ports, such as 6, 7 and 8, to be opened "and closed when desired, I provide means whereby the pipe IO-may be raised or will, such means comprising a I above the casing 4. Links,

then be atother convenient members, may

tached to the pins 15 and connected by 'achain,"

saddle member, such as 16, and a rope,

15. fixed to the pipe 10, where it extends or the like runs to suitable machinery for p raising 'or lowering purposes. end of the casing 4 is closed by a stuffing The upper I box, such as 17, throughwhich-the pipe 10 1 extends.

Preferably I spaced slightly different from the spacing of the ports 6,7 and 8, so that at least one of the sets of .sald openings may remain open the valve members 13 arewhile the others are closed, shown.

Thus, the operator is able to vary the quan; tity of flow and the level at which the water is delivered by means controlled from the surface. The particular set or sets of openings which should be left open most must be determined by experience for any particular well or formation.

It will be understood that I have described and shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, but I realize that various changes and modifications of the apparatus herein disclosed may be made without departing from my invention, and Idehot water through the lower end of the casing the upper ports 1n the casing or a maomty of them are closed; and hot water is forced to the bottom of the well and operates to store up heat in the. rock surrounding the bottom of the casing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A sulfur well comprising in combination a casing having a serie of ports within the zone of the sulfur deposit for the delivery of heated fluid, a connection for delivering a heated fluid into said casing and means controlled from the top of the well for closing and opening the said ports as desired. I

2. A sulfur well comprising in combination a casin ing within t e sulfur deposit for the delivneeaeoa ed from said pipe 'ferent love having a series of ports opena of heated fled, a verticallymovabk 3; take pipewithin said casing for delivering molten sulfur, and valve members supportclose said ports as said pipe is rnoved in one direction or the other. y

3. A sulfur well comprising in combination a casing having a series of ports'opem m within the sulfur deposit forthe deliw '1',

said casing for delivering the sulfur from cry of heated fluid, a movable pipe within the well, and valve [members supported from said pipe and arranged to .open and close said ports as said pipe isinoved in one-fldirection or the other, said valve members bearrangedto open' 'and f p '50 sir ing so arranged that certain of Said ports are opened before others, whereby the mean level of delivery of the fluid be altered. 4. A sulfur well. comprisin vin combine tion a casin having a series 0 ports at difii opening into the sulfur deposit, and valve members controlled from the top of the well for closing and opening said ports. whereby the mean level of de-' livery of the fluid may be altered,v

5; A sulfur well comprising in combing tion a casing having a series of ports open.-

ing within the sulfur deposit fOr'the deliv-' ery of heated fluid at different levels, a

movable pipe within said casing for delivering the sulfur from the well, valve members supported from said pipe for opening and closing said ports, and mean whereby 7 said pipe erate said valve members;

6. A sulfur Well comprising acasing ex tending into a sulfur deposit, having an open lower end a connection for'forc' hot wate'f'in'to said casing,- aport in'th Mi 1 of said casing opening' nto' the deposittifl jo ve end of the casing, andim con.

the lower ing and closing said port;-

JOHN w. reruns; 1'

may be raised andlowered to op 

